Which is the proper sheath for this 119?

Plumberdv

Plumberdv

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Sep 26, 2008
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I had to go into town today and noticed that a new thrift shop had been opened up next door to the place I had to go to. I never go to thrift shops but since it was right there, I went in an looked around. I asked the lady if they had any pocket or hunting knives and she pointed me to this 119. It had a price sticker on it for $25, so I took it in a heartbeat.

I know that it would have come with a flap over sheath (it had none with it) but I'm not sure which one. My question is, would the original sheath have been stamped on the back with 119 or not?

Twoline119a.jpg


Twoline119b.jpg
 
According to what I know, which may not be perfect, the most likely sheath for that would be the holster type flap-over with no number stamp.
 
Dave,
Does this knife have hard fiber or micarta spacers? I can tell you that Buck switched over to the micarta spacers sometime in 1969. This may help enough guys to check their two line 119s and see how their knives and sheaths match up. Sure, any knife and sheath can be switched, but if enough are found to be consistent, it gives us an idea.
Larry
 
Additional thought, I believe most of sheaths in the 1970 - 1971 era (and probably a bit beyond that) have a glossy black rivet on the belt loop and yes, they were all flap over type at that time.
 
It will have 119 on the back. The detail is in the rivet on the back. Look at the two sheaths below. The 119 sheath on the left has a smooth rivet head. That sheath is original to a 2 line 119 with bone hard fiber spacers. My 120 2-line with bone hard fiber spacers also has the smooth rivet. All of my 3-liners have the dimpled rivet. My conclusion is the rivet type changed either during the 2-line micarta like yours or the 3-line inverted. Others may have more info to narrow it down.

BuckSheathsa.jpg
 
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Yes, it should have a black rivet.......but no, I don't think it should have a number if it has fiber spacers.

No number......slightly older sheath and a better match for fiber spacers.

Number......slightly newer sheath and better match for Micarta spacers.

That's been my experience, anyhow.

Sheaths are tricky.
 
My 119 and 120 with fiber spacers have a smooth rivet and a number. I have a fiber spacer twinset with smooth rivet and no number. I'm sure all this got mixed up using stock on hand and not every model changed at the same moment in time.
 
Exactly......I'm looking at a fiber 118 with a black rivet and no number on sheath right now.

:)

Hard to say about these sheaths.......we can only say what might likely be best and maybe we can get a few more examples here.

I think the "no numbers" are usually the oldest, though.

Somebody will soon throw in an Atchison sheath just to make things more complicated.

:D
 
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Larry Oden said:
Dave,
Does this knife have hard fiber or micarta spacers? I can tell you that Buck switched over to the micarta spacers sometime in 1969. This may help enough guys to check their two line 119s and see how their knives and sheaths match up. Sure, any knife and sheath can be switched, but if enough are found to be consistent, it gives us an idea.
Larry
Click to expand...

It looks like micarta to me Larry.

Twoline119spacers.jpg


DeSotoSky said:
It will have 119 on the back. The detail is in the rivet on the back. Look at the two sheaths below. The 119 sheath on the left has a smooth rivet head. That sheath is original to a 2 line 119 with bone hard fiber spacers. My 120 2-line with bone hard fiber spacers also has the smooth rivet. All of my 3-liners have the dimpled rivet. My conclusion is the rivet type changed either during the 2-line micarta like yours or the 3-line inverted. Others may have more info to narrow it down.

This is the only 119 flap over sheath that I have at this time. It came with a three line, three spacer 119.

threelinethreespacer119sheath-1.jpg


DeSotoSky said:
My 119 and 120 with fiber spacers have a smooth rivet and a number. I have a fiber spacer twinset with smooth rivet and no number. I'm sure all this got mixed up using stock on hand and not every model changed at the same moment in time.
Click to expand...

This sheath is from a three line, four spacer twin set.

threelinefourspacertwinsetsheath.jpg


The only two sheaths that I have with the smooth rivet are these two. One is the three line inverted 121 and the other is a Buck* 102.

threelineinverted121sheath.jpg


oneline102sheath.jpg
Click to expand...
 
Yep, that's Micarta all right.

So that means you're into the later sheaths for that excellent knife that you got for a ridiculously low price, you lucky dawg.

:)
 
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Buck began to market their knives in Canada in 1967 hence the 'USA' was added at that time (late 67). Also, I agree with Larry's post as he is a respected collector. DM
 
Larry Oden said:
Additional thought, I believe most of sheaths in the 1970 - 1971 era (and probably a bit beyond that) have a glossy black rivet on the belt loop and yes, they were all flap over type at that time.
Click to expand...

And with a number on the sheath.

But some earlier ones without numbers on the sheath also had the smooth black rivet, right? (I'm looking at one).

:)
 
Well, after digesting all the info given here and from other sources, it seems that the knife is either from '69, '70 or '71 and it could have come with everything from an Atchison to a dimpled rivet with number sheath.

Unless I've missed some detail. Correct? :confused:

The search begins.
 
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Good luck on finding an Atkinson sheath. No 'Buck' on the snap. You've got a nice early 119. DM
 
Atchison is probably most unlikely, since that knife would have started in late 1969 and Atchison ended their association with Buck about the same time.

I'm guessing that a flap-over with a number on the back and a smooth black dimple would be a very good match now that I know the knife has Micarta spacers.
 
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